Apparatus for roasting coffee



Oct. 24,` 1944. R, ATTl 2,3605838 APP-ARATUS FOR ROASI'ING1 COFFEE Filed April 5`, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W M w Wwf/.. Mfffj ffl).

l l l INVENTOR P4P/mm2 47-7'/ ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24,.- 1944 APPARATUS FOR noAs'rlNG'coFFEE 1 Raphael Atti, Cliffside Park, N. J. Application April 5, 1941, Serial No. 386,992

1s claims. (ci. sas-236) This invention relates to an improvedI apparatus for roasting coiiee in general and more especially to an-apparatus for roasting coffee 'for use by retail stores whereby small quantities of coffee may be roasted as they are sold from day to day,- such for instance 'as disclosed in' my copending application for patent Serial No. 297,991, filed October 5, 1939, now Patent No. 2,301,922

. of.November 17, 1,942.

Among the' objects of the presentv invention, it is aimedv to provide an improved apparatus for roasting coiee in which the agitation of the .coffee beans is not started until a predetermined degree of heat has been produced in the roasting furnace in which the degree of heat thereafter willcontinue withinl certain heating temperatures to maintain an approximate uniform temperature throughout the 'roasting process, and

form 8 and in the present instance not quite half-way up there is provided a second platform I which extends from the front wall 4 rearwardly to a vpoint just forwardly of the partition Il toform an elongated discharge passage I2 between thefront face of the partition II and the rear end of the platform I 0.

The platform III which is shown as provided `with, an inner heat insulating material extends transversely from the inner faces of the heat insulated inner wall portions side walls 2 and 3, respectively. The partition I I similarly is provided with an inner heat insuvlli lating material,as shown, and extends down from the rear end of the heat insulated horizontally "extending partition or platform -I which exin which the heating temperature of the heat" producing units is reduced when the end portion,

or a diminished amount of a predetermined supply of coffee beans starts passing through the' roaster when a lower heat temperature is established to' compensate for the lheat'loss that results when a complete predetermined supply of coffee beansis passing through the furnace.

These and other features, capabilities and adi vantages of the invention will appear from the sub-joined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is .a longitudinal section of the coffee roasting apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectionon 'the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line'3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is anenlarged fragmental section of the inlet or funnel combination to the coffee roasting apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a section onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of theseveral control elements of the` coffee roasting apparatus.

In the embodiment shown, there is illustrated a main metal housing I having side walls 2 and 3 and front and end walls 4 and 5, respectively, terminating in the supporting extensions 6 and 'I resting on the floor or other suitable platform, seeFig.l.

Secured to the walls 2,13; 4 and Ii, there is provided the lower platform 8 on which rests the coilee bean receiver or basket 9- preferably composed of some suitableforaminous material, such as a. wire screen of proper mesh to house theV roasted coffee bean but enable a cooling medium, such' as cool air, to be blown through the walls of the basket onzfto the beans. Above .the plat- I4 and down to a level spaced from the heat i tends from the upper end of the partition II to the upper edges of the inner wall portions I3 and I4 and to the heat insulated inner front wall portion I6 secured to the inner face of the front outer wall 4 and extending from one to the other of the heat insulatedinner wall portions I3 and V insulated platform I8 to form room Ifor the'door the platform I0.

II hingedly connected at its upper edge to the wall 4 and lappingfover onto the front edge of In the horizontally extending partition I5, there is formed an opening to receive the lower funnel I8 having an inclined front wall I9, a rear substantially vertically extending wall 20 integral with the front wall member of the heat insulated partition 2| which extends to a level slightly below the lower level of the heat insulated Wall portion I6. The inclined wall I9 of the funnel I8 is connected to the short inclined wall 22 and to the long inclined wall 23, seev Fig. 1. The rear wall 20 is provided with an opening to" receive the driven shaft 24 and the heat insulated inner wall portion 2l is provided with a circular lopening concentric with the shaft opening in the wall 20 to clear the foraminous cylindrical member 25 constituting the cylindrical Wall for the innermost annular chamber of the drum 26. The

Vin turn, tothe shaft 24.

cylindrical member 25 isspaced from and f mounted on the shaft 24 by the spiral blade 21. 'At the rear end of the drum 26, the cylindrical lmember 25 is secured to the collar 28 secured,

In the present instance,

two additional foraminous members 29 and 30 :are provided, the v .front collar 3l and to the rear collar 32 both mounted on the outer face of the cylindrical member 25, the collar 3| just rearwardly of theV wall `2| and the collar 32 in aline- I3 and 'I4 of themember 28 secured to the V 'I 'ment with the collar 26. In addition, there is provided a spiral blade 33 spacing the cylindrical member 25 from the cylindrical member 26. The cylindrical member36, in turn, is secured tothe front disc 34 secured to the front face of the collar 3|. The cylindrical member 36 isalso sevfaces of the collars 28 and 32. In addition, there cured to the rear disc 35 secured to the rear.vv

is also provided aV spiral blade 36 spacing the A cylindrical member 29 from the cylindrical .member 36. The coffee beans as they are fed to the drum 26 advance from the funnel I6 through the sector shaped opening 31, see Fig. 5, into the feed inlet of the chamber formed' by the cylindrical member 25. Thereupon, due to the4 inclination of the spiral blade 2l, the beans will4 aaedssa opening s1 in the. wan rzu into the chamber formed in the cylindrical'member 25. It will be seen from Fig. 5 that the mouth .5I registers with the lower end of the funnel I6 toone side of a vertical line in one-quarter cycle of its rotation and in the next quarter` cycle of its rotation after passing to the other side.of the vertical line `will register only with the opening 3l in the wall 20. `In the meantime, while the mouth 5| is moving from they funnel I6 to the opening3'I,

the wall 26 will serve' as a partition to maintain and isolate the beans received from the funnel I6 in the pocket formed by the mouth 5I and the wall 26. This intermittent feed of isolated amounts of coffee beans is desired in order to control the feed, and thereby provide an even or uniform feed of the beans to the agitator 26 so that the coffee lbeans may be distributed as a thin layer throughout the agitator 26 duringl the roastin'gprocess. l v

So that the beans in the funnel I8 will be secured against loss when passingA into the mouth 5I, the lower edge of the front wall I9 "of the funnel I8 'fits snugly around the outer disposed at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 1,

whereupon the beans will then pass into the chamber formed by the cylindrical member 3Ii,-

whereuponv due to the inclination of the spiral V blade 36, the beans will be advanced rearwardly until they register with the opening 46 constituting the discharge outlet in the dlsc when such opening is disposed at the bottom, as I shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the coffee beans will drop between the partition II and the partition 4I viathe passage I2 to the basket 9.

The partition 4I extends from the rearend of the platform I Il up to the lower face of the platform I5 and is provided with an innerheat insulating material. This partition 4|., as shown in Fig. l. is provided with` a large circular opening to receivethe drum 26, that is vto clear the outer periphery of the outer cylindrical member 30 of the drum 26.

Further, to heat insulate the furnace formed by the platforms I0 and I5, front walll 42 of heat insulating material is secured to the rear face of the disc 35. This'. disc 42 'has an opening registering with the opening 46 in the chamber 1 lperiphery of the block 56, see Fig. 1, the side wall 23 will just about clear the outer facev of -the block 5D and the lower edge of the' side wall 22, see Fig. 5, will have a spring blade |22 formed thereon to contact' the outer periphery ofthe blockv 56 during its' rotation.

The front end of the shaft 24 is J'ournaled in the ball bearing housing 53 mounted in the yoke or bracket 54 extending around the block 56 from the front face of the wall 26.

In order to gain access to'the basket 9, the,

rear wall 5 is provided with a door 55 hingedly connected at 56 to the Wall 5 and overlapping 2|, rear wall 4I and side walls I3 and I4, a disc lso the outer face of the wall 5 at its'lower end, see Fig. 1

On the platform I composed Aof a metal, box preferably having a front heat insulated wall mxnber`58 to the front face -of which there is provided a handle 59.

The heat insulated wall member 56 clos'es the opening formed between the lower end of the partition 2|, the inner sidewalls I3 and I4 and the upper face ofthe platform I0.' When it is desired to withdraw the drawer 51 it is, of course,

only necessary to open the door I1 and grasp disc 35,` as shown in Fig. 1. and is provided withl an enlarged central opening 4 6 toreceive 'the ball bearing housing 44 secured to the front or inner face of the partition II.. .The shaft 24 at its rear end after leaving the ball bearing the handle 59 and slldably remove the same, discharge its contents and again return it.

housing 44 passes through the partition II and is provided with a sprocket gear 45, see Fig. 3. which is connected by the sprocket chain 46 lto the sprocket gear 41 onthe shaft 46 operatively associated with the motor 49 mounted von the platform I5 adjacent the rear end of such platform I5. l

Secured to the shaft 24, in front ofthe wall 26, there is provided. the block 56 constitutingv a rotatable feeder which, in turn; is .provided with a triangular mouth or pocket 5I. This mouth 5| has two side walls formed in the block y 66 'intersecting one another in the line 52, -see Figs. 1 and 5. and are inclined relative to one another and to a radially extending planewith the center of the shaft 24 as the axis so that whatever beans are received by the mouthv 6I when the mouth registers with the lower end'or the funnel I6. will -be temporarily isolated and in turn. will by gravity discharge through the' Slidably mounted on the ledges 66 and 6 I, there is provided the secondary chai! receiving drawer 62, oin the present instance composed of a foraminous material and having outwardly extending iianges along itslateral upper edges to-Y I rest on the ledges 60 and 6I. I This drawer 62 is also provided with a handle 63 at its front end. The rear end of the drawer 62 is open for. the purposes -hereinafter set forth. In order to remove thevdrawer'. 62, the door 64 will be opened.. This door 64 is hingedly connected atits upper end to the front edge of the platform Iiil and overlaps thev front wall 4 at its lower end, see Fig. 1. y

The Aopen end of the drawer 6.2 i's'disposed just below and to' one side of the discharge passage |2. 'Extending forwardly from the rear wall there lis provided a deector plate 65 to receive air from the fan 66 and direct the air onto the beans descending through the passage |2 into the basket 6. The air so deiiected byI the deector 65 will movel in a lateral direction h 'there '1s sudablymounted a-primary chaff receiving drawer 51 preferably v Y assunse toward'the open end of the drawer 62 to directwhatever chaff or fuzzy 'particles may still be found on the beans into-the drawer 62. The Afan 66 'is --operatively associated with the motor 49, lsee Fig.y 3, and adjacent the opening 61 formed-in the side wall 6-8 of the cover 69 which opening 61 is preferably provided with a su.it'`

able screen 19, as shown. The fan 66 thus will.`

draw cold air from the outside and direct it onto the motor 49 and downwardly through the passage 1I formed between the partition |I and rear wall 5 on to the deflector 65.

T he cover 69 is preferably provided with a partition 12 which will engage the upper ,face of the platform I5 and shut off the passage 1| from the chamber 13 formed to the front of the partition 12. The front vportion of the cover 69 preferably also has a funnel 14'secured thereto and extending downwardly therefrom, into registration with the funnel I6 whenv the cover 69 is properly positioned. A suitable cover 16 is secured to the cover 69 to close or shut of! the entrance to the funnel 14, when desired. The

lower edges of the cover 69, see Figs. l, 2 and 3, rest on the upper edges of the outer wall inembers 2, 3, 4 and 5. v

In the'furnace chamber formed by the inner Walls'liland I4, front wall 2|, rear wall 4|, upper platform I5 and lower platform I9,l in the present instance, see Fig. 2-, supported by the bars 16 and 11 there are provided the heating coils 18, 19 and 69, the bars 16 and 11 extending inwardly from the inner face of the inner wall portion I3. Between `the coils 16, I9 and 69, on the one hand, and the drum 26 on the other hand, there is interposed the shield 6| to prevent any of the radiant heat from the coils to pass directly to the beans in the drum 26.

In this furnace chamber there are also provided two thermostatic bars 82- and 63, both secured tov and extending adjacent the inner face of the inner wall member I4, the upper Jba'r 62 being operativelyconnected to the vertically ex tending control rod 64 and the lower bar 63 to the horizontallyextendingcontrol rod 96, see

69 when the cover is in placa,A when control knob |99 having operatively connected thereto the ex- 81 may be secured to the outer end-thereof to 1 constitute the other thermostat control.

Hingedly connected to the side walls 22 and 23 of the lower funnel I6, there is provided an arm more specifically a trap door 86 positioned to register with and close the lower end of the upper funnel 14 when the cover 69 is in position. To

maintain the trap door '89 in the horizontal position, shown in Fig. 1, there isv provided a lever 89 equipped with ari adjustablymountedweight 99. There is also fixed to rock with the trap door 66, the mercury'switch 9|. When the trap door 66- is closed, asshown in Fig. l, the huid mercury interrupts the current between the contacts in the mercury switch 9| and, in turn, when the trap door 88 is open or depressed, as shown in Fig. 4i

the current is established.

The wiring diagram shown in Fig. 6 and its relation to the mercury switch 9|, thermostat bars '.62 and 66, motor 49, heating coils 16, 19 and 39 and associated parts will now be described. y

l' The lead 92 is indicative of one line of the current supply and the lead 96 of the other line of the current supply. 'I'he lead 92 is connected by the conductor 94 to one4 terminal of the electroswitch 96 which, in turn, is connected by the conductor 91 tothe thermostatic control bar 62 which, in turn, is connected by the conductor 93 to the other terminal of the electromagnet 95.

The conductor 94, in turn, i`s connected by the conductor 99 to one terminal of the switch |99. 'Iv'he other terminal of the switch |99 is connected by the conductor |9| to one of the terminals of the mercury switch 9|. The other terminal of the mercury switch 9I is, in turn, connected by the conductor |92 to the conductors |93 and |94 of the heating coils 18 and 89, respectively. The conductor I9|, in turn, is connected by the conductor |95 to the heating coil 19.

' The heating coils 19, 19v and 99 are connected by the conductor |96 to the conductor |91 whic is connected to the conductor 91.

The conductor 94, furthermore', is connected by the conductor |96 to one terminal of the motor haust fan |I9. 'I'he other 'terminal of the motor |99 is connected by the conductor I I I to the conductor |91. l

One terminal of the motor 49 is connected by the conductor I|2 tothe conductor 94 and the .other terminal is connected by the conductor I I6 to one terminal of the thermostatic control bar 83, and the other terminal of the control bar 63 is connected to the conductor I4 which, in turn, is connected to the conductor91.

i From the foregoing it will thus be seen that y when the switch 96 is closed and a predetermined diately established to start the motor |99 .and

thereby the exhaust fan |.|9. At the same time, the electromagnet 95 will be energized to close the switch |99 and enable the current to pass through the heating coils 18, 19 and 89 constituting a plurality of heat generating means.

.Thereupon when the heating coils 16, 19 and 69 raise the temperature to a predetermined degree, according tothe beans used and heat insulating 'quality of the furnace walls, the -thermostatic control bar 83 will establish the circuit for the motor 49 whereupon the rotation of the drum 26 will be started. This rotation of the drum 26 will now continue until the switch arm 96 is actu-` ated to interrupt the current.

In the meantime, however, should the tempera'- ture exceed a predetermined degree, the thermostatic control bar 62 will interrupt the current to the electromagnet 95.to enable the spring IIS to actuate the switch |99 into open position and thereby interrupt the current to the three heat- I ciently, the thermostatic control arm 62 will reestablish the current toffthe electromagnet to actuate the switch arm |99 into circuit making position. After a predetermined amount of coffee beans fed to the funnel 14 has passed into the funnel I9 and cleared the trap door 88, the trap door 69 by virtue of the weight 99 -on the arm' 88 will swing the door 96 upward into closed plosition and at the same time rock the mercury switch 6| to interrupt the current to the heating coils 19 and 99, the two outer heating coils in the presfent, instance vconstituting one part of the heat generating `means, without affecting the-current magnet 95 and the lead 96 is connected to the the other part of the Aheat generating means,

whereby the initial heat will, of course, be matebeans in the predetermined quantity will pass through the drum 26 in the usual way. `The current to the motors 49 and |09 and to the remaining heating coil 19 will not be interrupted until the switch 98 is finally opened.

The reason for shutting oflktwo of the three heaitng coils during the roasting of the tail-end portion of a predetermined supply has been found necessary to prevent burning the beans in such tail-end portion. By actual practice, it has been found that as asupply of beans in the drum 28 became reduced as is the case at the tail-end of a predetermined supply, the tail-end `portion or last of the supp1y always became slightly burned. It is believed that such burning was due to the fact that the heat in the furnace would be raised automatically when the supply of beans was reduced due to the fact that the more beans in the furnace the more heat would be absorbed by this greater supply or beans thereby reducing the temperature in the furnace as compared to a condition where a less supply of cold beans were in the furnace and therefore a less amount of heat dissipating medium present, the beans in such case acting as a heat dissipatlng medium.

The switch 96, electromagnet 95 and associated wiring are preferably mounted in the control box IIS supported on the platform I5 to the rear of the partition 12.

The exhaust fan III! is preferably secured to the outer face of the wall 3 adjacent the opening II1 near the front end of the chamber in which the basket 9 and drawer 62 are located. To this exhaust fan IIII there is connected the chimney IIS extending upwardly along the outer face of the wall 3 which fan III) and chimney IIB are provided to draw off any objectionable smoke or fumes that might be carried down to the chamber below the partition III.

It is obvious that various changes and modications may be made to the details of the apparatus without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of an enclosed coffee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a supply inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel having a trap door for re' ceiving a predetermined supply of coffee beans, means for guiding the coffee beans from said funnel to said inlet, heat generating means in said Vfurnace comprising two parts, thermostatic con.

trol means in said furnace responsive to the heat generated by said generating means, an electric motor operatively associated with said .agitator for operating said agitator, said trap door being tiltable by-such supp1y of beans and remaining tilted until such predetermined supply has been completely discharged clear of said trap door, a current supply, an electric switch connected to 2,360,838 to the intermediate heating coil 'I9 constituting cut in the current for said motor when a predetermined temperature has been attained in said furnace by such heat generating means in turn toinitiate the actuation of said agitator, and means operatively associatedwith said trap door to return said trap door to initial position in turn to open said switch and thereby to interrupt the current to said one part of said heat generating means without affecting the current to said mo- .tor when the predetermined supp1y of coffee beans clears said trap door.

2. The combination of a coffee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel-having a trap door for receiving a primary predetermined supply of coffee beans, 1

a wall having an opening therein registering with said inlet, a rotatable feeder mounted to rotate vwith said agitator and cooperating with the opening in said wall and said funnel to enable a cyclic feed of secondary predetermined supplies of coffee beans to pass to said agitator from said primary supp1y, heat generating means in said furnace, thermostatic control means in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator foroperating said agitator, said trap door being tiltable by such supply .of beans and remaining tilted until such primary predetermined supplyiof beans has completely cleared said trap door, a current supp1y, and an electric switch connected to said current supply and trap door to be closed when said trap door is tilted and operatively connected to said heat generating .means to cut in the current for said heat generating means when such primary supply of. coffee beans is fed into said funnel, said thermostatic control means being operatively associated with said motor-and current supply to cut in the current for said motor when a predetermined temperature has been attained in said furnace in turn to initiate the actuation of said agitator cyclically to feed'I successive predetermined secondary supplies of coffee beans to said agitator from said predetermined primary supply of beans.

3. 'I'he combination of a coffee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator ln said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving 'a primary' supp1y of coffee beans, a wall having an opening smaller than said inlet registering with a part of said inlet to one side of the axis of' rotation of said agitator, a rotatable feeder mounted. to rotate with said agitator and having a pocket one end of whichcorresponds in size to the opening in said wall registering with said opening to one side of the axis of rotation of said feeder, said pocketbeing positioned cyclically to receive secondary supplies of coffeel from said'funnel and cyclically registering with the opening in said wall and therefore with said inlet in turn to ensupp1y of coffee beans, heat generating means in said furnace, thermostatic control means in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, a

, trap door in said funnel actuated by the coffee said current supp1y and trap door to be closed when said trap door is tilted and operatively connected to said heat generating means to cut in the current for one part of said heat generatingA associated with said motor and current supp1y to beans passing through said funnel, a current supply, an'electric switch operatively connected to said trap door, current supply and heat generating means" to vcut in the current for said heat generating means when said primary supply of coffee beans is being fed into said funnel and actuates said trap door, said thermostatic control means being operatively associated with said mo.

ing the current to said motor in order to maintain a substantially uniform temperature in said furnace.

4. The combination of a coffee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitatorjin said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a primary supply ofl coffee beans, a wall having an opening smaller than said inlet and registering with a partof said inlet to one side of the axis of rotation of said agitator, a rotatable feeder mounted to rotate with said agitator and having a pocket one end of which corresponds in size to the opening in said wall registering with said opening to one side of the axis of rotation of said feeder, said pocket being positioned cyclically to receive secondary supplies of coffee beans fromV said funnel and cyclically to register with the opening in said wall and therefore with said inlet in turn to enable a cyclic feed of successive secondary supplies of coffee beans to said agitator from said primary supply, heat generating means in said furnace comprising two parts, a current supply, thermostatic control means in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, a trap door in said funnel and actuated when beans from' the primary supply 'pass through the funnel, an electric switch operatively associated with said current supply, said trapdoor and said heat generating means to cut in the current for one part of said heat generating means when beans from ifeed -successive secondarysupplies of coffee beans to said agitator from said primary supply, and a weight connected to said trap door to return said trap door to initial position in turn to open said switch thereby to interrupt the current to said one part of said heat generating means without affecting the current to said motor when the primary supply of coffee beans clears said trap 5. The combination of a coffee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a flmnel for receiving a primary supply ofl coffee beans, a wall having an opening smaller than said inlet and registering with a parto! said inlet to one side. ofthe axis of rotation of said agitator; a rotatable feeder mounted to rotate with said agitator'and having a pocket one end of which corresponds in size to the opening in said wall registering with saidopening to one side of theA axis of rotation of said feeder,y said pocketA being positioned cyclically to receive secondary supplies ofv coffee beans from said funnel and cyclically to register with the opening in said wall and therefore with s aid inlet in turn to enable a cyclic feed of successive secondary supplies o'f coffee beans to said agitator from said primary supply, a current supply, three heat generating units in said furnace, a first thermostatic control in -said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, a trap door in said funnel actuated by the passing of coffee beans through said funnel, an electric switch mounted on said trap door and connected to said current supply and to two of said heat generating units to cut in the current for said two heat generating units when said beans Vfrom said primary supply are fed into said funnel and actuate said trap door, said first thermostatic control being operatively associated with saidmotor and current supply to cut incurrent for said motor when a predetermined tem.-

perature has been attained in turn to initiate the reached, and means operatively associated with L,

said trap door to return said trap door to initial position in turn to open said switch andthereby to interrupt the current to said two heat gen- 'l erating units without Vaffecting the current to said motor when the primary supply of coee beans clears said trap door.

6. The combination of a coffee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a primary supply of coffee beans, a wall having an opening smaller than said inlet and registering with a part of said inletI to one sideA of the axis of rotation of said agitator, a rotatable feeder mounted to rotate with said agitator and having a pocket one end of which corresponds in size to the opening in said Wall registering with saidl opening to one side of the axis of rotation of said feeder, saidr pocket being positioned cyclically to receive secl said primary supply, an exhaust.fanand a secondary supplies of coffee beans from said funnel and cyclically to register with the opening in said wall and therefore with said inlet in turn to enable a cyclic feed of successive secondary supplies of coffee beans to said agitator from said primary supply, a current supply, heat generating means in saidfurnace, a thermostatic control in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating-said agitator, a trap door in said funnel and actuated when beans from the primary supply pass through the funnel, an electric switch mounted -on said trap door and connected to said current supply and heat generating means to ,cut in the current -fon said heat generating means whenbeans from the primary supply are fed through said funnel and actuate said trap door, said ther-' mostatic control being connected to said current supply and said motor to cut in current for said motor lwhen a predetermined temperature has been attained in turn to initiate the actuation of said 'agitatorcyclically to feed successive secondary supplies of coffee to said agitator from ond motqr operatively associated with said ex-k haust fan, said exhaust fan being positioned be-v low said furnace to draw off any objectionable smoke and fumes.

7. The combination of a coil'ee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace,` said agitator having a feed'inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a primary supply of coffee beans,. a wall having an opening smaller than said said inlet to oneside of the axis of rotation of.

said agitator, a rotatable feeder mounted to rotate with said agitator and having a pocket-one end of which corresponds insizie to the opening in said wall registering with said opening to one side of the axis of rotation of said feeder,

4said pocket being positioned cyclically to receive secondary supplies of coffee beans from said funnel and cyclically to register with the opening inlet and registeringvwith a part of heat generating means when the current to said in said wall and therefore with said inlet in turn to enable a cyclic feed of successive secondary supplies of coffee beans to said agitator from said primary supply, a current supplyfheat generating means in said furnace,. a thermostatie control in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, a trap door in said funnel and actuated when beans from the Primary supply pass through the funnel, an electric switch mounted on said trap door, connected to said current supply and to said heat generatingmeans -to cut inthe current for said heat generating means when a primary supply of cofl'ee beans is fed into said funnel to actuate said trap door in turn to close said switch, said thermostatic control being connectedto said current supply and said motor to cut in current for said motor when a predetermined temperature has been attained in turn to initiate the actuation of said agitator cyclically to feed successive secondary predetermined supplies of coffee to said agitator from said primary supply, and a fan operatively associated with said motor to cool said motor and in turn to supply a blast of air on the coffee beans discharging from said discharge outlet.

8. The combination of a coffee roasting fury nace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet anda discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a primary supply of coffee beans, a wall having an opening smaller than said inlet and registering with a part of said inlet to one side ofv the axis of rotation of said agitator, a rotatable feeder mounted to rotate with said agitator and having a pocket one end of which corresponds in size to the opening in said wall registering with said opening to one side ofthe axis of rotation of said feeder, said pocket being positioned cyclically to receive secondary supplies'of coffee beans from said funnel and cyclically to register with the opening in said wall and therefore with said inlet in tum to enable a cyclic feed of successive secondary suppliesof coiee beans to said agitator from said primary supply, a current supply, an electro-magnet, two heat generating means in said furnace,y a first thermostatic control in said furnace, an electric' motor voperatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, a trap door in said funnel and actuated when beans from the primary supply pass through the funnel, an electric switch mounted on said trap door and connected to said current supply and one of said heat generating means to cut in the current to said latter heatgenerating means when said trap door is deected by the passage ot a primary supply of coffee beans through said funnel, `said first thermostatic control being connected to said current supply and said motor to cut in the current electro-.magnetis interrupted and in turn to cut in the current to both of said heat generating -means when the current for said electro-magnet is re-established.

9. In a coffee roasting apparatus having a furnace, three Aheating units in said furnace, a coffee receiving drum rotatably mounted in said'furnace, an electric motor drivingly connected to rotate said drum, a funnel for initially receivingv a primary supply of coffee, and means for guiding successive portions oi' the supply of coffee from said funnel to said drum, the devices for controlling said heating units and said electric motor consisting in a main switch, electrical conductors connecting one of said heating units to said main switch and to a current supply to establish a current in said heating unit when said main switch is closed, an arm movably mounted in said funnel, a second switch mounted on said arm and responsive to the passage of coffee through said funnel actuating said arm to close said second switch, electric conductors for connecting said second switch and two remaining heating units to said first electrical conductors,

a thermostatic unit in said furnace, electric conductors connecting said thermostatic unit to said motor and to the current supply, said second switch when closed by the actuation of said arm establishing a current in said two remaining heating units, and 'said thermostatic unit being responsive to the heat created in said furnace to establish a current in said motor.

10. In a coffee roasting apparatus having a furnace, three heating units in said furnace, a coffee receiving drum rotatably mounted in said furnace, an electric motor drivingly connected to rotate said drum, a funnel for initially receiving a. primary supply of coffee, and means for guiding sucessive portions of the supply of coffee from said funnel to said drum, the devices for controlling said heating units and said electric motor consisting in a main switch, a second switch, electrical conductors vconnecting one of said heating units to said main switch and to said second :switch and to a current supply to establish a current in said one heating unit when said two switches are closed, an arm operably mounted in said funnel, a third switch mounted onsaid arm and responsiveto the passage o f coffee through said funnel actuating said arm to close said third switch. elect'ric conductors for connecting said third switch and two remaining heating units to said ilrst electrical conductors, a thermostatic unit in said furnace, electric conductors connecting said thermostatic unit to said motor and to the current supply, .said third switch .when closed by the actuation of said arm establishing a current in said two remaining heating units, said thermostatic unit being responsive to the heat created in said furnace to establish a current in lsaid motor, means for normally maintaining said .second switchopen, an electro-magnet when energized for closing said second switch, a second thermostatic unit in said furnace. electric conductors connecting said second thermostatic unit to said electro-magnet and to the current supply,` said second thermostatic unit being responsive to.

a predetermined maximum temperature in said furnace to interrupt the current passing through said electro-magnet to enable said second switch to open and thereby interrupt the current in said three heating units, "said second thermostatic unit being also responsive to a predetermined minimum temperature in said furnace again toestablish a circuit through said electro-magnet in turn to close'said second switch and thereby to reestablish the current in said three heating units.

11. The combination of acoffee roasting fur-v nace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a feedinlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a predetermined supply of co'ee beans, meansfor guiding the coffee beans from said funnel to said inlet, heat generating 4meansiln said furnace comprising two parts, a

current supply, thermostatic control means in said'furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said 'agitator, a trap door in said vfunnel and actuated when beans from-the predetermined supply pass through the funnel, an electric switch operatively associated with said current supply, said trap door and said heat generating means to cut in the current for one part of said heat generating means when beans from the predetermined supply pass through said funnel andv actuate said trap door,

` when the predetermined supply of coffee 'beans 12. 'I'he combination of a coffee *roasting fur'- nace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace,` said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a predetermined supply of coffee beans, means for guiding the coffee beans from said funnel to said inlet',` a current supply, three heat generating units in said furnace, a rst thermostatic control in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, Aa trap door in said funnel actuated by the passing of coffee beans through said funnel, an electric Yswitch mounted on said vtrap doorf and .connected to said current supply and to two of said heat generating unitsto cut in the current for said two heat g'enf.I

A from said funnel to said inlet, acurrent supply, e

erating units when said beans from said prede` termined supply are fed into said funnel and actuate said trap door, said rst thermostatic .control being operatively associated with said motor and current supply to cut in'current for said motor when. 'a predetermined temperature hasbeen attained in turn'to initiate the actuation'of said agitator, .a second thermostatic control in said furnace operatively connected to all three heat generating units and operative to interrupt the current to all three heat generating units when a predetermined maximum temperature is reached and again to cut in the current when a.

predetermined minimum temperature is reached, and means operatively associated with said trap door to return said trap door to initial positionl in turn to open said switch and thereby to inter-y rupt the current to said two heat generating units 'without affecting the current to saidmotor when the predetermined supply of coffee beans clears said trap door. l .v f

13. The combination of a coee roasting furnace, a rotatable agitator in said furnace, said agitator having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet, a funnel for receiving a predetermined supply of coiee beans, means for guiding the coffee beans an electro-magnet, two heat generating means in said furnace, a flrst'thermostatic control in said furnace, an electric motor operatively associated with said agitator for operating said agitator, a trap door in said funnel and actuated when beans from the predetermined supply pass through vthe f funnel, an electric switch mounted on said trapl door and connected to said current supply and one of said heat generating means to cut in the current to said latter heat generating means when said trap door is deected byv the passage of said predetermined supply of coffee beans throughsaid funnel, `said first thermostatic control being` connected to said current supply and said motor to cut in the current for said motor when a predetermined temperature has been attained in said furnace ,inturn to initiate the actuation of said agitator, a second thermostatic control in said furnace connected to said electro-magnet tov interrupt the current'to said electro-magnet when a predetermined maximum temperature is reached and again to cut in the current when a predetermined minimum temperature isreached, and a second switch controlled by said electromagnet and operatively associated with both of said heat generating means to interrupt the Vcurrent to both of said heat generatingmeans when the current to said electro-magnet is interrupted and `in turn to cut in the current to both of said heat generating means whenl the (cur'rent for said electro-magnet is re-established.

' RAPHAEL ATI'L'- 

